Statutory redundancy. Only statutory redundancy.

Last week, we posted our astonishment at MPC’s general attitude as a company to talent and quality. Readers will remember that they’re largely closing down the Compositing Department that won them the Oscar for Jungle Book a few short months ago – and they’re replacing them with the sort of low wage “trainees” that they can get (thanks to Apprenticeship subsidies) to mind the shop until they need to crew up again for a big job.

Mass redundancy at MPC following their triumphant Oscar and BAFTA wins for The Jungle Book.

From its early small but ambitious beginnings in the 1990’s, London has grown into an incredible world leading vfx powerhouse. That the four latest Visual Effects Oscars in a row have all gone to London teams attests to that fact.

As a VFX worker, have you ever thought about what it will be like when you reach the age of 67? Will your pension be enough for you to live on? Will your health still allow you to work 70 hours a week to deliver the latest instalment of your grandchildren’s favourite superhero movie? And will it still be OK if you only get paid for 40 out of those 70 hours?

Once again many hard working vfx workers were unfortunately excluded from the latest VFX blockbuster hit “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The film, in its third weekend, has dominated the box office for Warner Brothers and has earned a massive $608M globally. Yet that money is not enough to convince Warner Brothers to include all the names of those who worked to create a land of magic and creatures entirely in CG.